Compassion Challenge: Day 3

We did this as a congregation in 2021 and I'm doing it myself this year. My life feels different now than it did 365 days ago, and I hope this will keep me grounded and help me live my faith.

Inspiring Compassion: The 30 Day Compassion Challenge. 30 days to explore the topic of compassion: Mindfulness, Compassion for Friends & Family, Self-Compassion, Compassion for All, Compassion for Our Planet

Today I focused on Mindfulness. I didn't "lean into it." I showed compassion by leaning back and taking people as they come.

Twice today people were pugnacious with me. Here I was just going along with my life and these separate individuals seemed to want to argue with me. I didn't take the bait.

Instead I considered how vulnerable they must feel to think that my words or actions had anything whatsoever to do with them. How being that unnecessarily defensive must leave a person feeling anxious.

I won't always be this patient. But today I mindfully chose compassion.

Dona Nobis Pacem

I am a peace blogger, inspired by the struggle in Ukraine. I'm keeping it short and sweet this year. The words of our own peace-loving wartime President from 1861 surely reflect the heart of President Zelensky in 2022:

“The struggle of today, is not altogether for today – it is for a vast future also.”

Find other peace bloggers here.

Thursday Thirteen #282

13 ways to get personal. Thanks to two old friends, I have three wedding presents to buy. (One of Mindy's sons just got married and now her second son is engaged.) Anyway, what I've read is that customized gifts are more popular now than ever. I've always enjoyed giving personalized presents, so this trend makes me happy.

If you don't have any bridal celebrations on your horizon, maybe this list can serve as thought-starters as we slide into the holiday season.

1. Champagne flutes with the bride/groom's names

2. A bottle of sparkling wine with their wedding date on the label (perfect for toasting their anniversary)

3. Personalized cork holder. OK, I didn't know this was a thing, but apparently it is. People who are seriously into wine keep the corks and here's an engraved wooden box for them to preserve their vino memories as a couple.

4. Monogrammed wine chiller

5.  Framed song lyrics from the first song they dance to at the reception

6. Address stamp to pretty up the back flap of all those thank you notes

7. Picture frame engraved with their wedding date

8. His-and-her passport covers for the bride and groom honeymooning somewhere beyond the 50 states

9. Monogrammed luggage tags

10. "Our First Christmas" ornament for the tree

11. Mr. and Mrs. floor mat

12. Monogrammed cashmere throw

13. Personalized mugs for morning coffee

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.

Compassion Challenge: Day 2 (Revised)

We did this as a congregation in 2021 and I'm doing it myself this year. My life feels different now than it did 365 days ago, and I hope this will keep me grounded and help me live my faith.

Inspiring Compassion: The 30 Day Compassion Challenge. 30 days to explore the topic of compassion: Mindfulness, Compassion for Friends & Family, Self-Compassion, Compassion for All, Compassion for Our Planet

Today I focused on Friends and Family. Rita was a junior writer at my last agency. She was let go the same day I was, but, fortunately, already had a new job lined up!* It's with a smaller agency, but considering how the vaunted big agency C-Suite messed up, this isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Anyway, this is Rita's first week on the job and she seemed a little embarrassed to be working on the weekly ads for a regional grocery store chain. Like somehow it's a step back from the web banners and event marketing she had done when we worked together.

I pointed out to her that 1) shoppers will be looking for and reading her ads, as opposed to the intrusive web banners we did, that likely were only clicked on 5% of the time† and 2) our client never asked for or paid for those event marketing initiatives. The event marketing may have seemed exciting to her at the time, but they helped get us all tossed to the curb. 

I told her she's contributing. She's helping busy, time-stressed working moms (like herself) plan their shopping trips. She's helping her client move product. Getting the word out about saving $1 on Quaker Oats may not seem glam, but it's actually more relevant to her audience than anything she did at our high-end agency.

I think she heard me. I hope so. I understand her frustration, but I know I'm right about this. Plus, it's only her first week! Her new agency does signage for grocery store brands and fast food restaurants you know. She'll get higher-profile assignments once she proves herself.

There's a baseball phrase managers tell pitchers: Trust your stuff. That's why I told her. "You're there for a reason. Do your best. Trust your stuff. Appreciate the value in what you're doing."

*Bitch all you want about inflation, but the job market is still solid. Does that mean we are or aren't on the verge of Recession? I don't know ...

†Think about it. How often do you actually click on those banners?